The Pentagon has withdrawn a newly published clinical guidance document mandating testosterone screening for military personnel, just one day after it was released, without explaining why. The policy, championed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as a way to "restore and optimise" troops' capabilities, had already drawn sharp criticism from medical experts who warned it was scientifically unfounded and potentially harmful, making its abrupt removal notable even though officials insist it will return in a revised form.

The document, "Clinical Guidance for Health and Human Performance Optimization," was published on 2 September and taken down on 3 September, alongside a statement from spokesperson Sean Parnell. It had proposed screening men aged 30 and over via questionnaire, potentially leading to blood tests and testosterone therapy, with women screened for hormonal imbalances too. The Pentagon says an interim guidance remains in place and a final version is coming soon, but gave no details on what is being changed. Experts including Dr Jason Goldman of the American College of Physicians and endocrinologist Bradley Anawalt have criticised routine testosterone screening, noting neither the Endocrine Society nor the American Urological Association endorses it, and pointing to risks such as reduced fertility, elevated cardiovascular disease and prostate cancer risk.